In a thrilling turn of events, China’s U17 men’s national football team secured a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in 21 years. On the early morning of May 13, Beijing time, the team defeated Qatar 2-0 in the third round of the group stage at the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup. With this victory and help from Japan’s win over Indonesia, China advanced as the group’s second-place team on goal difference, earning a ticket to the U-17 World Cup. The last time China participated in this global tournament was 2005.
The team had been highly anticipated since the qualifying rounds. In November 2025, they finished the qualifiers with five consecutive wins, scoring 42 goals without conceding any. Players like Shuai Weihao, Kuang Zhaolei, Zhao Songyuan, and Zhang Bolin had already caught the attention of fans. Expectations were high heading into the Asian Cup finals.
Drawn into Group B alongside Japan, Indonesia, and host Qatar, China faced a tough path. After a shocking 1-0 loss to Indonesia in the opening match and a 2-1 defeat to Japan, the team was on the brink of elimination. To advance, they needed to beat Qatar and hope Indonesia lost to Japan. In the must-win match, He Sifan scored a curling shot in the 14th minute, and Zhang Bolin added a header in the second half to seal a 2-0 victory. Japan’s 3-1 win over Indonesia meant China, Qatar, and Indonesia all finished with three points, but China’s superior head-to-head goal difference lifted them to second place.
This marks the first time any Chinese men’s national team (at any age level) has qualified for a FIFA world tournament since 2005, when both the U-17 and U-20 teams competed in their respective world cups. The U-17 team’s quarterfinal match will be against Saudi Arabia, the Group A winner, on May 16 at 1 a.m. Beijing time. The draw for the 2026 U-17 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and take place starting November 19, is scheduled for May 21. China’s last appearance in the U-17 World Cup saw them reach the quarterfinals, finishing seventh overall—their best ever result.